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Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond vs Penelope Four Grain
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond and Penelope Four Grain sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond | Penelope Four Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 64% corn, 24% wheat, 12% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 | ~$30 – $40 ~$18 less |
- Penelope Four Grain does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Four Grain
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond Penelope Four Grain
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/2 heat: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 2 out of 10
oak 5/3 oak: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 6 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 5 out of 10
spice 3/3 spice: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond: A sweet-mash, bonded wheated bourbon from a distillery founded by two fermentation scientists, and the technical care shows in how clean it tastes. One of the strongest craft arguments on the shelf.
- Penelope Four Grain: A light, low-proof blend of corn, wheat, rye and barley. Honey, almond and orchard fruit keep it sweet and easy, though it reads young and thin when sipped neat.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, sweet-mash wheater from a modern distillery doing genuinely careful work with more proof behind it.
- Go with Penelope Four Grain if you want an easy, light, honeyed bourbon that mixes well at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond); highball, cocktails (Penelope Four Grain).